1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a dispenser for dispensing sheet material on a roll, such as bathroom tissue and other sanitary paper products. More particularly, the invention relates to a dispenser having a reserve roll which can be brought into position for dispensing only when the primary roll has been substantially exhausted.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The advantages of multi-roll dispenser, particularly for such uses as dispensing bathroom tissue in commercial establishments, are well recognized. Because it is impractical for bathroom attendants to frequently check the tissue supply in the dispensers, it is desirable to have a reserve roll of tissue kept with the primary roll being used. Unfortunately, pilfering of the reserve roll occasionally results when it is left unattached to the dispenser.
A number of inventors have turned their attention to this problem and have developed dispensers which hold the reserve roll in an enclosed storage zone to prevent pilfering. But these prior art dispensers have certain disadvantages. For example, many of them do not prevent the user from dropping the reserve roll into the dispensing position before the first roll is depleted, an action resulting in the bathroom attendant often finding both the primary roll and the reserve roll partially depleted. The attendant must then replace at least one of the unexhausted rolls. Also, many of the prior art dispensers use special spindles requiring modifications to the tissue or core of the rolls, and others use spindles which are removable from the dispensers and are subject to being lost or pilfered.
In view of these disadvantages, it is an object of the invention to provide a dispenser which will transfer a reserve roll of bathroom tissue from an enclosed storage zone to a dispensing zone only when the primary roll has been substantially exhausted. It is a further object of the invention in its preferred embodiment to provide a dispenser which does not use spindles that are removable from the dispenser and subject to becoming lost. And, it is an additional object of the invention in its preferred embodiment to provide a dispenser in which tissue can be placed without modifications to the tissue or core of the rolls.